Combination container and sound producing device



July 28, 1964 R. w. WElTZELL COMBINATION CONTAINER AND SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Filed Sept. 14, 1962 f M10, Tram/5V5 pail United States Patent 3,142,130 COMBINATION CONTAINER AND SOUND PRODUCING DEVICE Rex W. Weitzell, 1528 17th St., West Des Moines, Iowa Filed Sept. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 223,669 Claims. (Cl. 46-11) The purpose of my invention is to provide an air actuated sound mechanism in combination with a carton device wherein the carton can be used as a reservoir for the air supply. This device is intended for use on milk cartons, breakfast food boxes, and the like, and serves primarily as a recreational unit for youngsters.

Obviously, certain problems arise by placing a sound mechanism on the outside of a carton. Among these problems are the restrictions on space; the cost of securing the sound element to the carton; the cost of adapting the carton for use therewith; and the problem of sanitation when the carton is used to contain foodstuffs.

Therefore, a principal object of my invention is to provide a combination container and sound device wherein the resilient characteristics of the carton wall and the restricted thickness of the sound mechanism will allow the cartons of like character to be stacked or placed in abutting relation without increasing the overall size of the storage facilities.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combination container and sound device that will.not substantially increase the fabrication costs of the carton as it is adapted for use with the sound mechanism.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination container and sound device that, will not detract from the sanitary requirements of cartons which are adapted to hold foodstuffs.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a combination container and sound device that is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my device as embodied in a milk carton with a sound producing element secured thereto;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of my device taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of two of my units positioned in a container means and illustrates the compactness that is accomplished by the structure hereinvolved; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through an alternate form of my invention.

I have used the numeral to generally designate a carton or container of plastic or cardboard material, which is comprised of a plurality of panels including a bottom (not shown) a top 12, and vertical side walls 14, 16, 18 and 20. The side walls are substantially rigid at their respective perimeters, namely, at their tops, bottoms, and at the corners of the carton, but they are substantially flexible and capable of deflection at their respective centers.

A sound producing unit 22 is secured at the center of side wall 14 by adhesive 24. The sound producing unit 22 includes a resilient hollow casing 26 which has a hollow tube 28 secured in one end thereof in any convenient fashion. A conventional reed 30 is secured in typical manner within tube 28 to vibrate upon the disice . opening 32 from the casing into the container 10.

The top 12 of container 10 includes panels 38 and 39 which are merged in an interlocked seam 40 which is held in place by staples, adhesives or the like. This seam is normally opened to withdraw the contents from the container 10, but the seam is preferably restored when the embodiment of my invention in FIGS- 1, 2 and 3 is being used. The aperture 34 in panel 14 can be created by puncturing the panel with a proper tool before seam 40 is restored. At the same time, hole 42 can be formed in wall panel 18 as shown in FIG. 3.

In FIG. 4, I have shown an alternate form of my device as attached to a container 10A which is identical to container 10 except that no openings 34 or 42 appear therein. The sound producing unit 22A is identical to the unit 22 described above except that opening 32 and valve 36 have been omitted.

The normal operation of my device as shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 is as follows: The container 10 and casing 26 are normally filled with air. Manual pressure can be applied to opposite sides of container 10, and as the wall panels of the container are deflected inwardly, the air in the container is forced outwardly through apertures 32 and 34, thence into casing 26, and thence outwardly to the atmosphere through tube 28 and past reed 30. The passage of air past reed 30 creates an audible sound in the conventional manner. The interior of container 10 serves as an auxiliary reservoir of air and givesthe casing 26 the benefit of a greater air capacity. This compression of container 10 functions better if pressure is exerted on casing 26 and on the oppositely disposed aperture 42 in panel 18. As pressure is released, air

moves back into the container through the aperture 42 so that the process can be repeated. Two oppositely disposed reeds 30 could be disposed in tube 28 so that sound would be emitted regardless of the direction of air travel through the tube.

The unit shown in FIG. 4 relies only on the air in casing 26A for producing sound. Air is exhausted and drawn into the casing as pressure is exerted in the direction of arrows A and B on container 10A. The deflection of panel 14 by this pressure causes a corresponding deflection and decrease in volume of casing 26A, whereby air is exhausted through tube 28 to create a sound in the manner described above. Since'this form of my invention does not incorporate the use of the auxiliary air supply with container 10A, its sound producing capacity is reduced. However, by varying the points where pressure is applied to container 10A, and by varying the intensity of the pressure, a variety of sounds can be emitted from casing 26A. For example, when pressure is applied almost on the edges of the panel 14, the panel momentarily resists deflection and then suddenly pops to a deflected position, whereupon a sudden intense sound of high pitch is emitted from casing 26A. When pressure is applied to the center portions of panels 18 and 20, the deflection of panel 14 is more gradual and a sound of difierent pitch and intensity is emitted.

As shown in FIG. 3, two containers 10 can be placed in abutting relation within a container 44 having a bottom 46 and side wall 48, and the deflection of the panel 14 will permit the outer flat vertical surface 50 of casamaiso ing 26 to dwell in the vertical plane normally occupied by the panel 14. This action permits the addition of the sound producing element 22 to the containers without appreciably adding to the space requirements necessary for storing or carrying the containers.

Thus, from the foregoing, it is seen that my device will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my combination container and sound producing device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim: 1. In combination, a normally closed container having a top, a bottom,

and vertical side walls, a sound producing element secured to the outer surface of the side walls of said container, said sound producing element including a sound means responsive ot the passage of air, registering openings in said container and said sound producing element whereby the respective interiors thereof can be in communication with each other, said side walls being resilient whereby when they are depressed inwardly, air will be forced from the interior of said container, thence into communication with said sound means whereby a sound will be produced thereby,

, the thickness of said sound producing element and the resiliency of said Walls being such that the outer vertical surface of said sound producing element can be moved to the normal vertical plane of the wall to which it is attached as said wall is deflected inwardly.

2. In combination,

a normally closed container having a top, a bottom,

and vertical side walls,

a sound producing element secured to the outer surface of the side walls of said container,

said sound producing element including a bladder element and a sound means responsive to the passage of air,

registering openings in said container and said bladder element whereby the respective interiors thereof can be in communication with each other,

said side walls being resilient whereby when they are depressed inwardly, air will be forced from the interior of said container, thence into communication with said sound means whereby a sound will be produced thereby,

the thickness of said sound producing element and the resiliency of said walls being such that the outer vertical surface of said sound producing element can be moved to the normal vertical plane of the wall to which it is attached as said Wall is deflected inwardly.

3. In combination,

a rectangular container having a top, a bottom and vertical resilient side Walls,

said vertical side walls being held substantially rigid about their perirneters,

a sound producing element secured to one of the walls of said container,

said sound producing element being substantially flat and vertically disposed on its outermost surface and being responsive to pressure exerted on said surface and said container,

and the wall upon which said sound producing element is secured being suificiently resilient whereby the outer surface of said sound producing element can be moved to the normal vertical plane of the wall to which it is attached as said wall is deflected inwardly.

4. In combination,

a unitary container comprised of a plurality of flat resilient panels,

a sound producing element secured to one of said panels,

said sound producing element having an outer surface which is substantially flat and which is substantially parallel to the plane of the panel to which it is attached,

said sound producing element being operatively responsive to the exertion of pressure on said surface and said container,

and the panel upon which said sound producing element is mounted being sufficiently resilient whereby the outer surface of said sound producing element can be moved into the plane normally occupied by said panel as said panel is deflected from that plane a predetermined degree.

5. In combination,

a rectangular container comprised of a plurality of flat resilient panels,

a sound producing element on one of said panels,

said sound producing element including .a hollow casing,

said sound producing element being operatively responsive to the exertion of pressure on and a reduction of volume in said hollow casing,

the panels in said container being sufiiciently resilient that pressure can be exerted on said container to deflect at least the panel upon which said sound producing element is mounted, whereby the normal volume of said container is reduced.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 159,218 Restein Jan. 26, 1875 1,055,681 Steiner Mar. 11, 1913 1,310,205 Morgenstein July 15, 1919 2,598,956 Wintress June 5, 1952 2,912,791 Cohen Nov. 17, 1959 

1. IN COMBINATION, A NORMALLY CLOSED CONTAINER HAVING A TOP, A BOTTOM, AND VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, A SOUND PRODUCING ELEMENT SECURED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID SOUND PRODUCING ELEMENT INCLUDING A SOUND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE PASSAGE OF AIR, REGISTERING OPENINGS IN SAID CONTAINER AND SAID SOUND PRODUCING ELEMENT WHEREBY THE RESPECTIVE INTERIORS THEREOF CAN BE IN COMMUNICATION WITH EACH OTHER, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING RESILIENT WHEREBY WHEN THEY ARE DEPRESSED INWARDLY, AIR WILL BE FORCED FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, THENCE INTO COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SOUND MEANS WHEREBY A SOUND WILL BE PRODUCED THEREBY, THE THICKNESS OF SAID SOUND PRODUCING ELEMENT AND THE RESILIENCY OF SAID WALLS BEING SUCH THAT THE OUTER VERTICAL SURFACE OF SAID SOUND PRODUCING ELEMENT CAN BE MOVED TO THE NORMAL VERTICAL PLANE OF THE WALL TO WHICH IT IS ATTACHED AS SAID WALL IS DEFLECTED INWARDLY. 